there is a very handy program on the net that will give you an SVG file for making any size finger joined box. I’ve been playing with it and found I have a problem with setting the right KERF size. What happens is that if I set it a zero the joints are too lose, so I measured the spacing and input half that size (1.5mm/2 = .75mm ) but now the joints are 1.5mm too big ie" the tabs are too big to fit - so what am I doing wrong here? Has anyone found a value that seems to work?
thanks All
FYI 5.16 mm Cedar cuts even better than 3mm birch ply !
Try using the 1.5mm kerf size instead of dividing it in 2. The program you’re using is likely adjusting each piece separately. Remember you’re going to see the 1.5mm kerf on all sides of your cut.
Hmm, I think that may be the opposite direction than what I need to go, a larger kerf size should result in making the tab bigger to account for the material the kerf removes wouldn’t it?
How did you measure your kerf? Did you cut a known square (say 10mmX10mm) and then measure the size of the hole and the size of the square? In this example the square should be 10mm and the hole should be 13mm (if your 1.5mm kerf setting is correct). Your kerf would then be 3mm/2 or 1.5mm - if the size of the hole is 11.5 then your kerf size is only 0.75mm (1.5mm/2).
Makeabox generates PDF files not SVGs. Which site are you using? I just created a makeabox version that I’ll cut later today or tomorrow to check but the PDF looks right.
The one I did from http://makeabox.io worked correctly tonight. Tight fit but pretty much on the money. Give that one a try. It’s an extra step if you want SVG as it outputs PDF but Corel/AI and Inkscape (I think) can open it and kick it back out as an SVG.